PROJECT OBJECTIVE: The goal of this research is to examine the effective use of space-time processing (antenna arrays at the receiver and the transmitter) for providing reliable and efficient digital communication services over cellular mobile radio channels.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This research is aimed at finding effective solutions through the use of space-time processing(antenna arrays at the receiver and the transmitter) to address the challenges faced by mobile communication system designers. The technical challenges include: a) a hostile, random and unreliable communication channel, b) increased subscriber capacity which is likely to become more exacerbated by the prediction that future signals to be transmitted over wireless channels will be those which demand very large bandwidths, such as video and internet traffic, and c) reduce power consumption and increase battery life in order for the user to make effective use of the enhanced services contemplated. This research addresses fundamental issues in space-time processing that are central to addressing these challenges. They are: a) the development of receiver structures which can operate efficiently in low signal-to-noise ratio, highly non-stationary, environments, b) the development of techniques which will allow use of space-time codes in mobile (rather than fixed wireless) environments, c) the development of media access protocols for bursty traffic for use with antenna array based systems, and d) the development of low-power digital signal processing architectures for practical realization of space-time processing algorithms.
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: Our research effort will involve a comprehensive study of the various aspects of space-time transceivers in a low signal to noise ratio (SNR), non-stationary, environment for both connection-oriented and connectionless services. Given the hostile communication channel, for an antenna array based receiver design it is felt that proper channel modeling and their utilization is essential to deal with the mobility issue as well as the low SNR environment. For this purpose, a framework for receiver design in a non-stationary environment is suggested within which the development of robust receiver design is contemplated. In addition, in view of the low SNR at each antenna, this research also considers methods that properly exploit the array gain for the important problem of symbol synchronization. For the transmit mode, due to the complexity associated with channel modeling, our work also examines the role of space-time codes in the mobile wireless environment. The corresponding design and evaluation of symbol synchronization methods and receivers will also be studied. Novel methods for source coding that can exploit the multiple transmit-receive antenna environment and the use of space-time codes are also discussed. Motivated by the needs of future services, the problem of transceiver design is revisited in the context of a connectionless service with the additional consideration of media access protocol design. Finally, a plan for the design and evaluation of architectural structures suitable for the implementation of space-time processing algorithms is presented.
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